All I need is you
by Ronniellefan
Summary: Ronnie and Danielle, will they be able to find each other?
1. Chapter 1

**I decided to start a new fic, don't worry I'm still going to be updating **_**Can we make this work! **_**This fic is only going to be a few chapters long I think, so hope you enjoy it!**

"_Stacey, please let me know where she is. I need to know, where is she?" Ronnie pleaded with Stacey. Her daughter was alive; alive, well and beautiful. Ronnie felt sick; knowing her daughter was out there, alone, helpless and upset. She had caused this and she wanted nothing more than to turn the clock back thirty minutes and take her baby in her arms and never let her go._

"_You broke her heart, Ronnie," Stacey could see the sadness behind Ronnie's eyes but she had to protect Danielle. Hurt and confused, Danielle had been in the Slater's house ten minutes ago but now she had gone. _

"_I know, I know. But I need to find her Stacey, please. I need my baby…" Her eyes filled with tears, Ronnie pleadingly looked at Stacey. All she needed was her baby…her baby daughter…her Danielle. _

_Stacey darted her eyes across the floor, doing anything to avoid looking Ronnie Mitchell in the eyes. This had been all Danielle had ever wanted and Stacey wanted to see her best friend happy, but she had no idea where she was. She was pained with guilt, she had been too drunk to look after her best friend and now she didn't know where she was. "She went Ronnie, I don't know where, she just left…"_

_Fleeing the Slater's house with her purple bridesmaid dress, Ronnie ran to the only place she could think of that her daughter may go to. The Tube Station. In front of her stood the most beautiful person in her life; her daughter, who was about to leave Walford for ever. _

"_Danielle!" Ronnie shouted towards her daughter, wishing more than anything that she would feel her baby in her arms once again; that everything would be forgotten. Danielle slowly turned around, facing her mother before starting to slowly approach her. Ronnie held out her arms beaming at her baby. Moving closer, she saw Danielle slowly fade away. "Baby…" she screamed afraid of losing her once again. _

A million thoughts flew around Ronnie Mitchell's head as she jolted awake, the same dream she had had for the past two nights. Danielle. Her baby. Always in reaching distance but yet so far away. All she wanted was to have her baby back in her arms. It had been two days now and she hadn't heard anything. She wished she could turn back time or move forward. As long as she could be with her daughter, nothing would matter. She could only think of _if only. _If only she had believed her. If only she had reacted differently. If only she had tried to see what had really been there. If she hadn't been so naïve to believe her dad, then she wouldn't be sat her wondering where her beautiful, beloved daughter was. She couldn't turn back time, not even if she prayed every minute that she lived. She wished she had taken more notice of Danielle; a girl who only yesterday was the 'girl who helped Stacey on the stall'. Shutting her eyes tightly, she tried to picture every feature on her daughter's face; the way her blonde hair fell across her face, the small dimples in her checks when she smiled, the glistening shine behind her eyes. She shouldn't have to try and remember what her daughter looks like; she should know. _I am her mother_, Ronnie thought, I need to find her. Whatever it takes, Ronnie knew she would find her baby.


	2. Chapter 2

**Short chapter I know, but I hope you enjoy it. I've been having a bit of writer's block due to the lack of stories been posted on here! Where is everyone? **

"Come on Ronnie, you have to eat something," Roxy said forcing food in front of her unresponsive sister. Simply staring through the Vic's front windows, Ronnie replied coldly,

"How can I eat Roxy? My baby is out there, out there alone, scared all because of me. How did I not realise?"

"Ron…don't blame yourself, dad, he…he lied to all of us…"

"But…she was my baby Roxy. My Amy. She was here all this time and he…he told me she was dead!" Ronnie could feel her temper flaring, the secret she had kept for so long had been revealed but she didn't have anything to show for it. All she wanted was to take Danielle in her arms and tell her how much she loved her, like she should have done two nights ago. Ever time she closed her eyes she saw Danielle's pleading scared eyes look deep into hers as her daughter lay on the cold road, outside the Vic. She should have believed her, deep down her heart was telling her this was her Amy but her head lead her actions and she left her poor helpless baby on the floor. She felt disgusted; how could she have been so cruel? The past two days had been excruciating not knowing where her baby was; just like it was almost twenty years previously. She had rang Danielle's phone constantly and kept hers by her side every minute; just incase her beloved daughter rang her. A small chance she would but Ronnie was prepared to take ever chance she had. She had left countless messages and now every time she rang she was greeted by a message of a full voicemail inbox. She no longer got to hear "Hi it's Danielle. Leave a message" and was craving to hear her daughter's voice.

"Ron…"

"No don't Roxy. All I want is Danielle and you can't give her to me. Just leave me alone," Roxy stared hopelessly as Ronnie not knowing what to do. She wanted to find Danielle as much as Ronnie but they didn't know where to start. Stacey had been no help whatsoever and wasn't even attempting to talk to Ronnie, who had hurt her best friend beyond repair. Helplessly trying to get as much help as she could and to find Danielle; Ronnie had attempted to remember Danielle's adoptive dad's name but she couldn't. Why didn't she take any notice of the girl who had been trying to talk to her for months? Roxy too craved to hear news about Danielle. She had grown to like her niece through her constant offering of her babysitting services and now everything made sense. She had been trying to get to know her family. Everything seemed so much clearer now but Danielle wasn't here and that's what they all wanted. Forgetting she was still stood there in deep thought, Roxy suddenly realised where she was when Ronnie shouted,

"JUST LEAVE!"

Hearing the door slam behind Roxy, Ronnie knew she was alone again. Alone. Just like she had always been since her baby had been taken; unable to trust any man. She silently sobbed into the open lockets on her knee just wishing Danielle could be there with her; it was all she wanted.

* * * * *

Staring out of the window, Danielle Jones sat mirroring her mother's actions. Telford was the place she had grown up and had a happy childhood; but it wasn't complete, not without Veronica Mitchell. She had sat in this position many times dreaming about the day she finally met her mother. And seven months ago it had finally become true. She had spent time in her mother's company wishing she was a Mitchell and had to courage to just tell her. It had been too hard; nothing was ever easy with Ronnie Mitchell. All she had ever wanted was Ronnie to look into her eyes and tell her that she loved her. Then two nights ago, Danielle's worst fears had become reality. Lying on the cold stone floor she stared into Ronnie's eyes begging her mother to believe her but she wouldn't. Danielle knew then, that she really was alone. Alone in the cold harsh world of London with not even a best friend to turn to. So she left. Just like that and within a couple of hours she was back with her adoptive father. Back where her journey to find Ronnie had begun.

"Dani…tea's ready!" Andy Jones called up the stairs; he was so glad to have his daughter back under his roof where she was safe. Something had changed though. He wasn't sure what but Danielle had changed.

"I'll be down in a minute dad…" Danielle called down the stairs. All she had ever wanted was Ronnie Mitchell and now, back in Telford, she didn't even have a picture. Ronnie Mitchell was been wiped from her mind; Danielle never wanted to hear her name again. She had caused too much pain, unforgivable pain and Danielle knew she would never forgive her mother.


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow! It's been a long time since I updated this fic! Thanks for all your reviews, and I hope you like this chapter. **

"Dani," The yelling up the stairs continued for a few minutes before Danielle reluctantly left the comfort of her bedroom to come face to face with her dad.

"I said I'm coming dad," Danielle called back down the stairs as she made her way out of her bedroom. Her thoughts were drifting off to other places, mainly Ronnie; but now wasn't the time to think about her mother, the one person who was meant to protect her but ended up causing her more pain ever imaginable, more grief, more desperation and more hurt than Danielle had ever faced. Even Lizzie's death came nowhere near the pain Danielle was feeling at this moment in time, but she knew she had to move on if she was going to become the person she once was, just forget Ronnie Mitchell.

"Dan…oh you're there. I've been calling you for ages!" Her father's face was directly in front of hers as she reached the bottom of the stairs, his voice soft and warm just like a parent's should be, just like Ronnie's should have been... She had been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to even be thinking about what she had been doing.

"I know, dad, I said I'd be a few minutes…"

"Never mind, Danielle. Dinner's on the table for you,"

Danielle slowly walked across the lounge to the table in the corner, a room which had held so many memories, which were now emptying from Danielle's mind as she could only think about the past seven months, the painful seven months… She had to stop thinking about it, she needed to stop thinking about it, but however hard she tried, Ronnie Mitchell would just not disappear from her mind, her hair, her face, her clothes, her smell, her voice…everything was just flashing in front of Danielle's eyes as if screaming out to her, look what you are missing, she's your mum, you need her. But she doesn't need you, Danielle felt a voice in her head say. _Freak. Biggest mistake of my life. Who'd want a daughter like you? Stay away from this family. _The thoughts stabbed deeply into her mind, as if imprinted upon her mind, always there, always reminding Danielle of the painful past, the past she just wanted to forget. Danielle shut her eyes tightly, trying to erase her thoughts, her hands digging deeply into the cutlery she was holding as she concentrated.

"Gareth and Jenny are coming down in a few weeks, it's his first leave since he went back in February, how I miss him," Andy broke the silence, his gaze turning to his daughter. "It would be good if you were still here…"

Danielle simply shrugged, not knowing what her next step was, did she stay with her father and face been overshadowed by her favoured brother or did she leave, go to a place where no one would find her, or…she could go back to Wal…No. She couldn't, the pain was too raw, _everything_ was too raw.

"Anyway, you never told me how London was? How's Stacey? And that friend of yours…the blonde one?" Andy questioned, "The one I met when I came down to see you?"

Raising her head, Danielle stared at her father a neutral expression upon her face. She knew exactly who he meant, she didn't want to, but she did. Everything, everything always found a way back to her. "Ronnie?"

"Yes, the pretty blonde one," Andy continued to press his daughter, wanting to fill in the gaps of the time he had missed with her; time had become so precious since Lizzie had passed away. He didn't get a reply however, as his daughter just ate her food before leaving the table, once again locking herself in the safety of her bedroom.

Over in Walford and Ronnie was desperately trying to find the location of her daughter, her beautiful daughter, the one thing in life that mattered to her and the one thing she had let go.

"Stacey," Ronnie increased her speed as Stacey started walking away from her, "Stacey, please. Wait," Stacey, ignoring the cries of Ronnie Mitchell, continued walking away from the Square, "Please, Stacey," She had caught up with her, tugging on the jumper to grab her attention.

"What?" She spat at Ronnie, she didn't deserve her attention, nor had she deserved Danielle's. "Come to shout at me too?" She mimicked.

"No, Stacey. Please, do you know where Danielle is?" Ronnie was pleading with the girl in front of her, she _needed_ her baby, she needed to apologise, make all the pain disappear, tell her how much she loved her.

"If I did Ronnie Mitchell, I wouldn't tell you. Danielle deserves more than you, much more,"

"Stacey…I need her, she's my daughter…my..my...baby,"

"That didn't stop you before Ronnie, you broke her heart," How could Ronnie Mitchell be acting like this? Stacey thought, she caused her daughter so much pain, so much hurt and rejected her, how can she want to know her now?

"I know, I know, I just want to tell her I'm sorry, please, I need to explain," Her eyes were filling with tears at the thought of never seeing her daughter again, seeing her smile, smelling her smell…

"She's moved on Ronnie, she doesn't need you…"

"No! She needs me, I'm her mother," Ronnie was desperate not to hear those words, her baby _did_ need her and she needed her baby, more than anything. "I…I need to give her this, please Stacey tell me where she is…" A swinging locket hung from Ronnie's hand after she had reached into her pocket. An identical one that had hung from her neck for almost twenty years, the one she had given away with her daughter, her baby, all those years ago. Stacey turned her head away from Ronnie's, unable to look her in the eyes. The pain was evident from Ronnie's tear stained face and unusually casual clothes, but could she betray her best friend? She knew all Danielle ever wanted was Ronnie, her mother, and her she was just trying to find Danielle, caring about her. The locket had been the final nail in the coffin for Stacey, she knew that locket had got Danielle through thick and thin and she'd be lost without it. She couldn't be the one to cause more pain to either of them than had been caused already, she too just wanted to see Danielle smile again.

"She's gone home Ronnie, back to Telford. Rose Street, Lawley. You didn't hear it from me though,"


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I haven't updated this story in a while, I just haven't had to motivation! Anyway I've updated now and I hope you enjoy this chapter, I'm not sure if I like it. Thanks again for the reviews and to the anonymous reviewer, I decided to scale it down to Lawley, which I believe is a small town than Dawley, just to make it seem a bit more realistic. **

The last part of Veronica Mitchell's journey had been the worst; the anticipation of seeing her daughter again making her heart beat three times its normal speed. She just wanted to be with Danielle, for them to be reunited, to be together. Her mind was racing with images of how perfect everything would be, how perfect her daughter was, how perfect her Danielle was. _Danielle. Ronnie's daughter. Ronnie and Danielle._ The words floated through Ronnie's head, they sounded perfect, as if they were always meant to be together; just like she and Danielle should have been.

All her dreams had come true; her Amy was alive. The arms that had been aching for so long for her daughter, her baby, were about to be filled and never be emptied again; they were going to be together. She had waited all her life for this, for her baby, for them to be reunited, to simple give her child all the love she had for her, all the love she should have had.

Her nerves were getting the better of her as she reached Rose Street; her baby would be there wouldn't she, she had to be. Her motorbike slowed down as she reached the end of the street, her mind buzzing with thoughts. Slowly removing her helmet, her eyes darted around the street, a nice quiet street, a nice place for her daughter to have grown up. The park a few meters down the road looked clean, and the quietness of the nearby road made it an idyllic location. Ronnie smiled to herself, knowing that at least her daughter had had a good upbringing, a nice house, got a little bit of what she deserved.

As she started walking to the door of the last house on the street, Ronnie reached into her pocket pulling out a white envelope, her curled writing spelling out the name Danielle. She placed her helmet under her right arm and held the envelope carefully in her right hand before knocking on the door, her hand gently shaking with nerves. She hadn't felt like this before; the nerves building up inside her but yet the unconditional love she had for her child waiting to escape, to finally have some use.

The door slowly opened as Ronnie curved her head around the door; desperate to see the smiling face of her daughter, of Danielle, but instead she was faced the solemn face of Andy Jones, a blank expression etched across his face.

"Hi," Ronnie barely managed; she had spent so long preparing a speech for the one person that mattered to her, she had forgotten about Danielle's dad, the man who had brought up the daughter she should have. "I'm…is Danielle here?"

Andy smiled at the young woman in front of him, the woman he recognized from all those months ago. Maybe she would be the person to bring the old Danielle back, if only he knew…

"Ronnie, isn't it?"

A look of confusion came across Ronnie's face; had Danielle told him? Had she told him what had happened? How else would he know her name? Her head slowly nodded, her lips poised and ready to speak but a word never leaving her mouth.

"I asked Danielle about you the other day, but she didn't answer. She's been acting really off lately, something must have happened but I can't get a word out of her! You know what teenager girls are like!"

Ronnie rubbed the top of her head, where her skin met her hairline, with her free hand, pain still open in her mind; a small smile graced her face out of politeness. _You know what teenage girls are like. _She wanted to scream, to just cry. She didn't know, she wanted more than anything to know, to just know her daughter, but she didn't. She didn't and she was ashamed to admit it.

"Oh sorry, excuse my manners. Come in" Andy indicated with his hand for Ronnie to step inside, who was bracing herself to enter the home of her baby, her Amy.

Her eyes slowly looked around the hallway, the walls covered in hanging photo frames full of the life of Danielle, of her daughter. Various holidays, photo-shoots, Christmas, Birthdays, family meals. Everything Ronnie had missed out on. A grin spread across her face as her eyes latched onto a baby picture, a picture of her baby. She could tell it was Danielle by the shape of her face, the colour of her eyes, the cheeky grin. The tears could be felt stinging the back of her eyes, a moment of happiness, of finally seeing part of the life she should have always been in, of finally seeing the past she couldn't reclaim.

"Do you want a drink? Some tea? Coffee?" The silence which filled the house was broken by the kind words of the man stood in front of her, to which Ronnie replied with a simple shake of her head, her eyes never leaving the images of her daughter.

"I…I came to give Danielle this, just something I need to give to her" She spoke softly and calmly whilst releasing the envelope from the grip of her right hand.

"Oh, ok. Do you want me to give it to her?" He reached out his hand, ready to take the envelope from the fingers entangled around it.

"Wo…would I be able to take it to her?" Her face raised itself and came face to face with that of Andy, her voice soft but yet not daring to hope that she would be able to see her daughter once more.

"Yes, yes. Second room on the right, maybe you'll get her to talk!" Andy gave one last smile to Ronnie, pointing up the stairs, before turning his back on the woman and leaving to go and watch TV. He had seen her before, he knew it, not from the time back in February, but before that; he just couldn't place his finger on it.

Ronnie slowly made her way up the stairs to her daughter's room, her feet carefully making their way up the stairs as she continued to look around the house which held so many memories from her daughter's childhood. She reached the landing before breathing heavily and walking towards the second door on the right. This was it. This was the time they would be reunited. Her hand slowly knocked on the door, a small sound escaping that Ronnie could only just hear. When Danielle gave no reply, Ronnie had to try again, this time though she called through the door, her daughter's name, the sound sounding so perfect on the tip of her tongue.

"Danielle?"

Inside, Danielle felt her heart jump. Surely she hadn't heard the voice she thought she'd just heard. It couldn't be. Ronnie was in Walford. Ronnie, her mum, she didn't want her. She hadn't believed her. Why would she be here? But there it was again, this perfect, motherly, loving sound coming from her door. She felt her heart rate increase as the handle slowly moved down, as the door was slowly pushed open, and the figure of her mother stood at the doorway.

"Danielle," Ronnie's voice barely more than a whisper as it left her mouth, the sight of her daughter sat cross legged on the bed made her heart beat, made her whole body feel light and loved, her hands started tingling as she felt her eyes lock onto Danielle's.

Danielle looked up at her mother; the heart of all her love and pain. Just the sight of her made Danielle want to cry, to run into her arms and tell her just to believe her, to want her; but the memories were holding her back, the painful, brutal memories that stabbed through her heart every time she closed her eyes.

"Wh…what are you doing here Ronnie?" Her voice was cold as her eyes drifted off to stare at the end of her bed, her whole body tensing up afraid to be hurt again, to let somebody in close.

"I believe you Danielle. I know the truth. I know you're Amy, my baby." The words couldn't leave her mouth fast enough as she moved from the doorway, closing the door behind her. They were together, again. She placed her helmet on the floor, the white envelope carefully balanced on to of it as she studied her daughter's room. The curtains were closed, allowing only a small panel of light into the room, her bed was perfectly made and there was no sign of any mess; just a small helpless woman sat on the bed. Practically running to her daughter's bed, Ronnie had her arms outstretched ready to feel her daughter lie in her arms once again. Her hand was just a fraction away from touching her daughter's hair, her shoulder when Danielle moved away, her voice sending a chill down Ronnie's spine.

"Please. Don't…don't touch me Ronnie," Danielle wanted more than anything to feel Ronnie's touch, to have her comfort her and hug her but she couldn't. Her mother's cruel words were stabbing through her like a knife, causing her heart to break even more; she couldn't believe her.

"Danielle," Ronnie's voice remained calm and motherly but the cracks were starting to show; the rejection from her daughter couldn't happen, they needed each other, they were mother and daughter, they were meant to be together. "I'm so sorry, please. You have to believe me; I never meant _any_ of it. I only want you, I need you, you're my daughter…"

"Believe you? Believe you?" The words left her mouth before she had time to think, her voice getting louder and angrier, her hand being thrown down on the bed, "Believe you? Just like you believed me you mean?"

"No…Danielle, I…I…I didn't know. I thought you were dead, he told me you were dead!" Her hands were raised into the air as she tried to explain, as she tried to get Danielle to understand, to feel her baby's arms in hers.

"And you believed him." A simple statement, not a question but a fact. Ronnie had believed him, God knows why, but she had, the cruel words that left his mouth caused a scar to be formed across Ronnie's heart, a scar that nobody but Danielle could repair. _Dead and buried. _She had believed him, believed him that her baby was rotting in the ground alone and rejected her baby, the only person in her life she had truly loved.

Her hands slowly fell as words failed her, this wasn't how it was suppose to be, they were suppose to be together, to love one another. Danielle lifted her head, catching just a glimpse of her mother, before returning to her original posture. She wanted her mum; she wanted Ronnie, for all the pain to just disappear but it was too much for her to take.

The heavy breathing of both women filled the eerie silence, the two just remaining how they were, neither daring to break the silence. Ronnie's eyes aimlessly looked around the room, staring at everything that belonged to her daughter. Out of the corner of her eyesight, a certificate caught her attention; Grade 4, Clarinet. Her daughter played an instrument!? Her heart was bursting with pride, with love and delight for the young woman sat in front of her as her eyes returned to Danielle. She didn't know what to say, how to start a conversation with her own daughter, what to do. She knew what she wanted but she didn't want to push Danielle, push her further away than she already was.

"I'm sorry Danielle, really I am. I'm so sorry, please Danielle, I'm sorry," Ronnie was fighting back tears as she tried to make Danielle understand, to make her love her. Her heart was longing to see the smile across Danielle's face, to fell the gentle touch of her skin.

Danielle felt a lump form in her throat, she had promised herself to never forgive Ronnie, to make her pay for what she done, but to see her here like this, practically begging for Danielle to believe her, made everything so much harder, but yet, Danielle couldn't believe her. "I…I don't believe you Ronnie," Her whisper filled the silence in the room, accompanied by a few gentle sobs from Ronnie, her eyes brimming with tears. "You…you can't just change. You hated me."

"No, no Danielle. I didn't. I never hated you. You're my daughter, my Amy, how could I hate you? I love you," The words once again spilt out of Ronnie's mouth, all control lost; she had to make Danielle understand.

"Then why…why did you say it?" She slowly raised her head, making eye contact once again, her voice questioning yet calm.

"I…I was hurting Danielle. Hurting over loosing you. I didn't mean it, _any _of it. I just want us to be together, like mother and daughter, how we should have been. You mean everything to me Danielle, everything," The words fell out of Ronnie's mouth, her eyes only straying from her daughter's for a few seconds, before catching glimpse of a suitcase, a packed suitcase. "I love you Danielle, I love you, you…are, are you going somewhere?" Her voice became full of worry, full of anxiety over what was happening, surely Danielle wasn't running away.

Danielle slowly raised her head as she bit the corner of her lip, not wanting to admit that she was too weak for this, too weak for all this pain. The words escaping from Ronnie's mouth were making her tingle, making her change her mind about the heartless woman stood in front of her but the memories still shot through her mind every time silence filled the air.

"I…I just don't get why you didn't tell me, why you waited so long Danielle. I've never thought of anyone but you," Her arm was outstretched, almost touching her daughter, and her voice warm and maternal.

Viciously, she wiped the tears that were in her eyes, tightening her hand into a fist, "What was I supposed to say Ronnie? I'm the daughter you never wanted, the biggest mistake of your life. Look at what a pathetic freak I am, after all, who'd want a daughter like me?"

The cold words streaming from her daughter's mouth made Ronnie's blood run cold; the words she had so cruelly said to her, insulted her, hurt her baby. She hadn't meant it, none of it, but she had still said it. The tears, she had held back, finally were released, falling down her face.

"I…I didn't mean it Danielle. I'm so sorry, please Danielle, I didn't mean it! You're all I ever wanted; you're all I ever need. You were never a mistake, you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I…I came to give you this Danielle, I need you to know the truth, to know what you mean to me" She gently bent down and picked up the envelope, gently kissing it before handing it over to her daughter,

The heavy envelope weighed Danielle's hand down as she reached out to grab it from her mother. She slowly opened the envelope, ripping the paper before emptying the contents of the envelope onto her hand; two matching lockets fell out, the gold chains entangled falling between her fingers. Her eyes remained, staring at the lockets, in front of her as she released the catches. The fourteen year old face of her mother, the image she had seen so many times before, stared back at her, as beautiful as always. The other contained an image of a baby, an image Danielle had never seen before but yet she could tell it was her, a few hours old, her blue eyes that had since changed remained prominent in the picture. Her eyes were stinging, the tears been held back; she hadn't known. Her mother, her mum, had kept this photo for almost twenty years, she must care, she must have thought about her.

Ronnie stood watching her daughter's reaction; the tears spilling from her own eyes. She slowly walked closer to the bed, kneeling next to her daughter, just waiting for the moment, the moment she could take her child in her arms. When she spoke, her voice was soft and quiet, barely loud enough to be heard,

"I never stopped thinking about you Danielle, never. Everyday I used to think maybe this was the day we would be reunited, that I'd get you back. You were in my thoughts every minute of every day sweetie, you're my baby, how could I not think about you?"

Danielle turned to her mother, the tears evident in both their eyes; maybe she could believe her, let the pain just disappear for a moment. As their eyes locked, Danielle knew she couldn't keep up acting cold to her mother, she loved her, loved her more than anything in the world. The pain she felt was nothing compared to the love she had for her mother, nothing. She slowly closed her eyes before leaning forward; hoping to feel the tight grasp of her mother around her, feel the love Ronnie had proved she had.

Barely having time to think, Ronnie leant forward, the tears spilling from her eyes, her arms wrapping tightly around her daughter. Whispering soft promises into her daughter's ear, she could feel the gentle sobs of Danielle falling into her hair, as she tried to comfort her daughter; but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Mother and daughter were reunited; Ronnie and Danielle were finally together.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm so sorry for the amount of time it has taken me to update this fic, so I'm sorry if this is a bit rusty and not very good.**

Ronnie smiled to herself as she watched her daughter sleep; for the first time she had felt her daughter, her actual daughter, fall asleep in her arms and it had made her the happiest woman alive. Her daughter's faint heartbeat against hers, and her shallow breathing had meant everything to Ronnie; it had been what she had dreamt about her whole life.

She had laid Danielle down, gently propping her head up on the pillow and wrapping a blanket around her daughter's exhausted body, gently brushing her fallen hair from her face, allowing it to flow through her fingers. Every touch she had felt, every brush of her daughter's skin had made her weak at the knees, the tingles shooting down her spine. This was real, so unreal for Ronnie to be experiencing, but it was the best moment in her life. She had reclaimed her long lost daughter and not for one second had she thought she could have produced such a perfect caring human being as Danielle, as her Danielle.

Danielle made small movements with her face, gently stretching her jaw as she rolled over to face Ronnie, sighing loudly as she did so. Ronnie stared in awe at her daughter before shifting her position down the bed and leaning on her elbow as she watched Danielle at her most vulnerable. Every movement was perfect, every sound that escaped her daughter's mouth was perfect, and Danielle, her daughter – her Amy – was undoubtedly the most perfect child Ronnie could have wished for.

Ronnie outstretched her fingers, gently caressing the side of Danielle's face and tracing around her cheek bone and chin. She felt her eyes well up as she saw Danielle's face screw up and then relax again as she dreamt in her own world of thoughts. "I love you Danielle," Ronnie breathed as she let her hand linger around her daughter's face, before clasping her remaining hand around her daughter's and bringing it to her face gently letting her lips meet with her daughter's skin as she planted a soft kiss on it.

She closed her eyes as she thought about how perfect everything was turning out to be – how perfect her child was. She snuggled down into the bed, letting her whole body be taken away by the surroundings that encased her – every single thing belonging to her daughter. Just as she had rearranged herself, the door creaked open and Andy stood there, his eyes clasping on Ronnie.

Swiftly, Ronnie removed her hand from Danielle's and quickly moved her hand away from her daughter's face before sitting up on the bed.

"You got her to sleep then?" Andy whispered as he gently made his way over to his daughter's bed, ignoring the situation he had just being faced with, grateful to this woman for helping his daughter get the rest she needed, "I don't think she's slept for days,"

Ronnie smiled at the man, wishing that he had left them alone for only a few more seconds, a few more minutes and let Ronnie spend more time with her beloved baby. "She looks so peaceful," Ronnie whispered allowing her eyes to drift back to her baby, drinking in every feature.

"She's just like her mother," Andy replied as he placed a kiss on Danielle's head; the words stabbing through Ronnie's heart. I'm her mother, she thought, she's my daughter, she's mine. Her eyes didn't leave Danielle as she greedily tried to take in every feature of her daughter, every hair on her head.

"Do you want to come down for some coffee?" Andy questioned as her gently adjusted the blanket around his daughter.

Reluctantly, Ronnie replied, "Yeah, that would be great thanks," How could she refuse? What was she suppose to say? She wanted more than anything to stay here with Danielle, to be the first person her daughter saw when she woke up but at the same time, she didn't want Andy to suspect anything, to keep mother and daughter apart.

Slowly, Ronnie raised herself off the bed and made her way to the door Andy held open. She took one last look at her daughter before leaving the room, and Andy gently shutting the door behind them. Inside, she was already feeling empty without her baby; she was desperate to see her again, to hold her in her arms.

They made their way downstairs as Ronnie curiously looked around the living room, evidence of Danielle plastered all around it. One photo in particular caught her eye as she allowed herself to drift over to it and pick it up. She ran her fingers around the border of the picture as she stared at the photo, smiling to herself at how happy Danielle seemed. Next to her, stood Andy and who Ronnie guessed was her brother, Gareth and her mum.

Andy came in with a tray, gently balancing it before placing it down on the coffee table. He made his way over to Ronnie, smiling as he saw the photo, "That was on our last holiday before my Lizzie…Danielle had such fun with Gareth," He sighed to himself as he remembered the oh-so-distant memory.

"She was beautiful your wife," Ronnie whispered as her eyes remained fixated on her daughter and feeling sadness and regret at the fact that she hadn't even asked her daughter about her family; all the times Danielle had tried and Ronnie had just shrugged off Danielle's comments. She hated herself at this moment in time, for been so cruel and nasty to what was and what is, her vulnerable little girl.

"Do you want to see some more pictures?" Andy asked as he made his way back to the table, nowadays he had nobody to share the memories with, not since Lizzie had…he liked been reminded of the memories and the times that he, his wife and children had been so happy.

Ronnie smiled gratefully as she placed the photo down back where it belonged, gently nodding her head. She was grateful for one thing at least, that her daughter had had a secure and happy upbringing with parents who obviously loved her dearly. But now, now it was her turn to be the mother she had craved to be and be the woman who would reinstall Danielle's trust and strive her uppermost hardest to be the perfect mum to her perfect little girl.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry about the long updates between the last chapter and this story! I hope people are still reading.**

Flicking page after page of her beautiful daughters grinning face, Ronnie couldn't help but feel some resentment to this family. Of course she was eternally grateful that her daughter had had a happy upbringing, a caring family and privileged life but yet this child, her child, was her child, her baby. Nobody else should have had that right.

Being the trusting man that he was, Andy had left Ronnie in his home for a short while, whilst he nipped to the shops. He had been too afraid to leave his daughter these past couple of days and the daily essentials were running low.

Ronnie sat, alone, in the living room taking in her surroundings. Her daughters beaming face was encrusted on her face, from been a young baby to the beautiful young woman she was today. Smiling sadly, she closed the photo album she held upon her lap and placed it back on the cabinet where it so rightfully belonged.

Her eyes latched onto a recent photo of her daughter, posing carefree with the boy she could only assume was Gareth. She quietly made her way over, taking the photo in her hands and tracing her finger over her daughter's face. Taken only a few months before she had come to Walford, Ronnie couldn't help but feel her heart ache at how naïve and innocent her daughter had been. Now, mere months later, she was a broken hearted woman, weary of every person she met and hurting beyond pain Ronnie could imagine.

The guilt was unbearable, penetrating through Ronnie's heart at every breath. She had hurt her daughter, hurt her beyond badly. Every word she had said and every action hurt her as she thought about the pain she put her daughter through again and again. She had become so bitter, so cruel to this innocent teenager who had spent months trying to reveal her identity.

Instead, Ronnie had just pushed her away time and time again, because that's what she did. She didn't let anybody in, ironically to protect herself from the hurt the loss of her baby had caused her, but had ended up causing more pain to the young girl who meant more than anyone in the world, her precious baby. How she wished she could turn the clock back and notice who her daughter was.

How could she have not noticed? This was her baby, her little girl, her world and she had failed to realise who she was. Looking back, the signs had been there, everything had been there – ready to complete her life and fix her broken heart but she had been too selfish to realise and now she was paying for it, big time.

A floorboard creaked and the door was slowly pushed open as Ronnie swiveled around to come face to face with her beautiful baby girl, her Danielle. Her voice became trapped in her throat in sheer awe at this young girl stood in front of her, only managing a small squeak. Clearing her throat, Ronnie smiled at her baby, "Hey,"

Danielle didn't respond, instead closing the gap between them as she walked over to Ronnie. "What are you doing?" she asked as she finally stood a meter away from the woman who she loved with all her heart but hated at the same time. Unimaginable pain had been caused, and this woman, this beautiful, sophisticated woman, had caused it. Her own mother.

"Oh," Ronnie shook her head, before placing the photo back down on the fireplace, "I was just looking," She tilted her head to one side, allowing her hair to fall across her shoulder, "Are you ok?"

Danielle stared at the photo Ronnie had just place down; she had been so care free, so innocent and naïve about the world they lived in. Everything had been so much simpler; there was never any problems, any conflicts, arguments, just a normal family.

"Danielle?" Ronnie whispered as she gently reached out a shaking hand. Before she could reach Danielle's shoulder, her daughter pulled back looking at Ronnie with a flash of anger in her eyes. It soon disappeared to leave damaged eyes, puffy with redness from tears and the hurt so evident. It broke Ronnie's heart.

"I think you should go, Ronnie," Danielle pulled away from her mother, walking away and turning her back towards her. She folded her arms around her chest, desperate to not let Ronnie see the pain that was cursing her body.

"Wh…what?" Ronnie stuttered, as she walked closer to her daughter. She looked so small and shy, so vulnerable and Ronnie had to physically stop herself from holding her daughter in her arms and encasing her in the love she wanted to show her daughter she had.

Danielle hated herself for shutting down, for blocking the woman, she cared so much about, out but it had to be done. She was too scared of being hurt again, of Ronnie rejecting her again and breaking her down even further. She just couldn't deal with it.

"I said," she gritted through her teeth, blocking out the crystal tears that formed in her eyes, "I…I think you should go,"

"I don't want to go," Ronnie whispered, as she held her hand out in mid air, her own eyes filling with tears. She needed her baby, Danielle had forgiven her only an hour earlier, she had let her hold her and help her sleep. She couldn't let her daughter go again.

Danielle didn't reply, so Ronnie sucked in a deep breath, before speaking again, "Did you hear me Danielle? I don't want to go, I…I don't want to leave you. I came all this way…"

Before her mother could finish speaking, Danielle butted in, "I didn't ask you to come," Her voice was spiked with venom and resentment. This was the woman she loved with all her heart but she wasn't sure if she could forgive her and let her in. There was too much history, too much pain and complications. Danielle wasn't sure if she could deal with it.

"I wanted to come, I wanted to see you Danielle and tell you how sorry I am, how deeply sorry I am," Ronnie pleaded with her beautiful daughter, inching further and further towards her.

Ronnie was now so close; Danielle could feel her steady breathing on the back of her neck. Her hairs prickled up. She jolted her shoulder away again; desperate to hide the pain she was suffering from the woman who was supposed to take it all away. The dreams and hopes she had had before she had gone to Walford were now a distant memory, a haven that Danielle wished she could return to.

"Danielle," Ronnie whispered as she saw her daughter once again emerge in hr fears and block her mother out. Upstairs, everything had been so natural, so perfect and now, now Ronnie was in an undeniably difficult situation not knowing which way to turn and what to do. "Please," she breathed, pleading with her whole heart. She had to feel her baby in her arms soon, she was already so crushed.

"You're over me," Danielle spat out, turning her whole body to face, her voice spiked with anger but also love. She loved Ronnie too much to hurt her but at the same time resented her too much to let her in. "I was a mistake, a baby _you_ should have got rid of, a freak, a liar, pathetic," The words spilled out of Danielle's mouth in a tone even she was afraid of, all the anger that had simmered under the surface for so long was now surfacing under immense pressure.

"You don't want me, you never have," These were the words she had heard over and over again. They played in her mind at night, when she was alone and whenever she saw her mother's face; these were the words of her nightmares but the words which had become a reality. "Nobody want's me Ronnie, nobody," The tears were fit to burst, her whole face swelling and ready to break down into sobs but she couldn't. She had to be a hard faced as her mother, she had to be strong.

"My dad…he prefers Gareth and you tried to pay me off to get out of your life! Who'd want a daughter like me?" she spat, before turning away, letting the tears fall down her face away from the stare of her mother, her world.

The words she had so carelessly spoken were now coming back to haunt her, the words she had cursed her precious baby with, crushing her own heart and causing her breathing to become restricted, this was torture. She had said all these things to her little girl, the things she had never for one moment thought. All she had ever wanted was her baby, her Amy.

Her body was taken over by loud sobs, sobs of guilt and hurt but also anger at the man who had caused all this pain. "I'm sorry Danielle, I'm sorry. Sorry for everything, for everything," she whispered, desperate to get her baby to understand.

Ronnie allowed the tears to fall as she nearened her daughter, this time gently placing a hand on her baby's shoulder, feeling the warmth and small shakes radiating from her girl. She closed her eyes several times, blinking away the tears, before she felt Danielle turn around in her arms.

They looked at each other with their pain mirroring one another's, their eyes equal in their hurt, as the tears fell from both their eyes. Danielle wasn't ready to forgive or forget but she just, for a moment, wanted somebody to actually care, to really want her. Somebody to love her.

She collapsed into Ronnie's arms, allowing the love to swallow her hurt, before feeling Ronnie's arms tightly grip around her back. Ronnie felt the soft tears fall onto the fabric of her t-shirt as she held her little girl closely. She placed a hand on the back of Danielle's head, gently running her fingers through the soft blonde hair.

"I want a daughter like you, me. You're my baby, my baby," her voice was a hushed whisper, desperate not to ruin the moment as the pair embraced. "I've always wanted you,"


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the once again long delay between updates (especially in this story), I hope people are still reading and thank you so much for your lovely reviews; they are always appreciated!**

The smell of her mother's perfume wafted up her nose and the feeling of her mother holding her was everything and more than she had dreamed of. After what seemed like only mere seconds, Danielle hesitantly pulled away from Ronnie, burying her face beneath a golden screen of hair as she felt Ronnie's body freeze in position.

Confusion flooded over Ronnie as her baby pulled away, it was so hard to see but yet even harder to feel. This bond she had with her daughter, albeit a weak bond was there all the same and it was so hard, agonizing even, to fight the natural instinct of wanting to mother her child.

"I think it's best if you go Ronnie," Danielle whispered, awkwardly crossing her arms and holding them across her stomach – a barrier to protect herself from any pain or hurt that could be thrown at her. "For the both of us," she added under her breath. She couldn't get hurt, she couldn't deal with it again and she was sure, sure that Ronnie couldn't just change so suddenly. She was the Ice Queen, she was untouchable, unapproachable.

"What?" Ronnie managed to squeeze the words through her throat, shaking her head slightly. How could them been apart be best for both of them – for either of them. She was a broken woman without her daughter; she needed her baby, her little girl.

She thought they had forgotten all of this – it was only moments ago that Danielle fell into her arms and let her comfort her. Why had she been so naïve and assumed everything was ok – of course it wasn't ok, she had hurt her baby again and again, so thoughtlessly and cruelly turning her back on her and saying the most awful things.

"Please Ronnie," Crystal shaped tears were forming in her eyes as she spoke, "Just go," It wasn't just herself she had to think about, there was her dad too. This was his home, their home. She had grown up here with her family, the people who had raised her and loved her and given her all the opportunities she could have ever wished for. She couldn't just abandon them for this woman, this cruel and heartless woman who had hurt her beyond pain she could have ever thought she could imagine.

"I can't," Ronnie whispered as she wiped the tears from her own eyes, "I can't leave you; I'm hurting when I'm not with you Dani…please" she pleaded with her daughter as they both stood in the living room, Danielle not daring to even look at Ronnie but Ronnie keeping her eyes focused on the only thing that mattered, her only child, her little girl.

"Hurting?" Something in Danielle snapped when she heard those words; how dare Ronnie even say she felt hurt when Danielle wasn't there? She had no idea, "Hurting?" she repeated, her voice spiked with venom and anger as she shook her head in disbelief.

"What about me? What about _my _hurting?" Danielle shot back. Her voice made Ronnie shudder, the anger and hurt that escaped from simple words were causing her already broken heart to shatter even further. It broke her heart to see her daughter in this state; she deserved to be happy, to feel loved and to be content with who she was.

"For seven months, seven months you hurt me – everyday you hurt me," Danielle began, spitting out ever word as she watched she look of pure shock dissolve onto Ronnie's face, "You called me names, and shouted at me, you threw me out time and time again. Do you know how it feels to be called a mistake? How it feels to know that you're not wanted?"

"It broke me Ronnie, _you_ broke me and you didn't even seem to care,"

Tears were now escaping and rolling down Ronnie's cheeks as Danielle continued to speak; she knew she had hurt her baby but hearing her own daughter tell her how much pain she had been in sent her feelings of guilt over the edge. She wanted her little girl to understand how she had been feeling but she had been so caught up in her own grief that she hadn't noticed that the girl who was paying her so much attention was in need of comfort and was the one person in the world, who would complete Ronnie.

"I did care…" Ronnie tried to defend herself, whispering the words in a hushed whimper as Danielle seemed to ignore what she had said.

"You called the police on me," Danielle boldly stated, as she stared blankly at the wall in front of her, "and told me to go home. You took me for an abortion and told me you wish I'd never been born," her voice became quieter with every statement, as she let her mind drift back to each event, recalling the pain from each word Ronnie had stabbed and imprinted upon her already aching heart.

"You threw me out and left me on the streets, humiliated me in front of everyone and now you expect me to just forgive you and trust what you are saying?" Danielle shook her head violently, allowing the tears to smudge across the skin underneath her eyes. She turned back to face as Ronnie, the pain so evident behind her eyes however much she tried to disguise it. "I can't forgive you, I can't,"

"No!" Ronnie cried, her voice full of desperation, "Let me explain!"

"Explain what?" Danielle explained. She had no idea where this strength was emerging from – all the anger and hurt from the past seven months was now bubbling over the surface and she couldn't stop it. She couldn't bare the thought of pushing Ronnie away but at the same time she couldn't even consider letting Ronnie close – everything was too raw, too painful, too confusing. "Explain how you regret having me? How I'm a mistake?"

Shuddering, Ronnie felt the warm tears fall down her cold, hard face. Her shell was melting, her exterior falling apart as she watched her daughter become almost hysterical whispering those things over and over again. She felt her pain explode through her body, watching her daughter like this, the tears now streaming down her face.

She wished she knew how to mother her child, she wished she knew how to stop the pain, she wished she knew Danielle well enough. She wished she had cared. She wished she had noticed. The things Danielle kept repeating, these things she kept saying were her own words but yet hearing them leave her daughter's mouth made her guilt so much worse. They sound so cruel, so unnecessary.

"Maybe you should have gotten rid of me when you could…" Danielle thought aloud as she allowed her tears to fall freely. She was now faced with her back to her mother, maybe for the best she didn't know. However, it made her feel less intimidated, less vulnerable to the woman she wished she could call mum.

Somehow, Ronnie managed to turn Danielle around as she held firmly onto her shoulders, "Don't you ever say that," she whispered as she raised her hand to gently lift Danielle's chin up ever so gradually so their eyes connected, "I have always wanted you and never for one moment, never," Ronnie emphasized, "have I ever not wanted you,"

"You have to understand Danielle," Ronnie continued to whisper as she wiped away her daughters tears with her fingertips, allowing her own tears to cascade down her face, "I was 14 and scared and my dad…he took you away and I tried, I tried to get to you but I couldn't. I couldn't get to you," Ronnie paused for a moment, allowing herself to be taken back to that sunny day back in June 1989…

"_No please, please she's my baby," A teenage Ronnie pleaded with her father as he held her daughter out of her reach. She pulled the wires out of her hand as she scrambled out of bed._

_Her father was already 10 feet ahead of her as she ran down the empty corridor, "Please, I'll take care of her. I'll look after her. She's my daughter," Ronnie cried as Archie suddenly stopped in his path. His gaze focused on the baby lying peaceful in his arms and felt disgust as she gurgled. What had his Veronica, his precious Veronica been thinking? Having a baby at 14 and bringing shame upon the Mitchell name. She was disgusting, as was the dainty little girl in his arms. _

_Ronnie managed to catch up to her dad, holding out her arms as she brushed a finger against her daughter's cheek. She felt funny every time she touched her daughter; this was her baby, her child, her own flesh and blood. Her face was full of expectations as she held out her arms, expecting her dad to hand her daughter back over. Maybe he would do the right thing for once, she pleaded inside her head. This was her daughter, her Amy. She looked on in amazement as she saw her daughter's finger reach out to hold her own._

_Archie snatched the baby girl out of Ronnie's sight as he snarled at his daughter, "You take care of a baby? You're too selfish for that Veronica, you don't deserve a baby. She's better off without you," _

_The baby girl, who until now had remained silent, let out a chilling cry as Archie took her away from her mother. Ronnie's cries echoed her daughters as they were torn apart and no matter how fast Ronnie ran to catch up with them, they had gone. Her daughter had gone and no matter how hard she cried or how many tears she shed, she knew she had lost her…_

"I couldn't get to you," Ronnie choked as she sobbed, her words only just audible through the veil of tears covering her face. "He took you…"

Her head fell as she cried loud cries, her hands remaining on Danielle's shoulder's as her own tears fell silently. "Please Danielle," Ronnie pleaded once more as she raised her own crystal blue eyes up to those beautiful brown eyes belonging to her daughter.

The two women were stopped dead in their tracks as a male voice cut the lingering silence that had engulfed the room for a few seconds. Andy was back - home earlier than they had hoped. His voice was cold and confused as he saw the two women shedding tears, the pain mirrored on both of their faces.

"Dani, what's going on?"


End file.
